It's likely there have never been so many undergarments on stage at Detour Theatre.

Their final show of the year is a laugh-out-loud comedy about growing old ungracefully, as a New York nana tries to keep her illegal lingerie business under wraps.

The play follows Bridget Charles (Mikayla Williamson), a straight-laced young woman staying with her grandmother in New York for the summer, before college starts.

However, it turns out Nana Sylvia (Geraldine Broderick) has a secret: she's been making and selling 'saucy slips” for seniors from her apartment – an illegally-operated business that could see her evicted, if the landlord ever finds out.

Throw in a mix-up with her next 'big order” and watch the chaos unfold.

The small cast all capture their respective roles well, from Micah Neilson's ‘aw shucks' police officer Tom O'Grady, to Devon Williamson's maniacal, money-grubbing landlord Gil Schmidt. Michelle Parnell and newcomer Amit Kamble have their moments – and audience laughs – as Clair Schmidt and the UPS Man, respectively.

Maggie Kelly is a real standout as Vera Walters, Sylvia's hard-of-hearing friend who hits on Tom and, once the secret's out, embraces the lingerie business with gusto. Maggie's perfect comedic timing gives the play some of its most side-splitting moments.

Another notable is Alex Gilmour, who plays Heather van Pree, a fishnet-stockinged rep from the similarly named (but very, very different) ‘Saucy Lips' company. Her arrival in the apartment is another hilarious upset, and she plays the colourful role pitch perfectly (complete with Fran Drescher-esque laugh).

Set in the New York, the play calls for American accents, and the cast generally manage the tough requirement well. From a set design perspective, the little nooks and crannies which hide Sylvia's scandalous lingerie are wonderfully incorporated – you don't even know they're there, until a picture frame swings open to reveal a saucy brassiere, or an entire wall pops out to showcase a range of negligees. It's a true testimony to director Kim Williamson's commitment to putting on an authentic, entertaining show.

If you haven't seen it yet, then do.

Detour Theatre presents ‘Nana's Naughty Knickers' which is on stage until Saturday, December 3. For more information and tickets visit: www.detour.co.nz